Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 159 Lee Juri: "I'm looking for you, I'll do you a monthly favor..." (A long chapter of 10,000 words, please subscribe and vote)

At noon in June, sunlight streamed through the gaps between the tall buildings onto the city streets, much like time itself had been ironed, silent yet bright.

Inside a high-rise Western restaurant in Gangnam District, Seoul, Lee Qri was sitting by the window in a booth, wearing an oversized pink shirt.

The soft fabric draped down her body, making her look both languid and sophisticated, giving her a distinctly vacation vibe.

With her chin resting on her left hand, she looked around somewhat boredly, her gaze casually drifting towards the rooftop not far away. She had only intended to daydream, but the next second, her gaze suddenly froze.

He narrowed his eyes, as if to confirm a certain fact.

She then leaned forward slightly, and a few seconds later, a slight smile appeared on her lips. She picked up her phone and made a call.

Sitting across from her, Park Hyomin was looking down at the menu. Today, she was dressed simply but elegantly. Her black fitted long-sleeved T-shirt accentuated the beautiful lines of her upper body, and the back had a large slit, subtly revealing a touch of sexiness.

After hearing Lee Qri dial the phone, Park Hyomin looked up at the other person and asked, "What's wrong? Who are you calling?"

"Guess?" Lee Juri didn't answer directly, but instead raised her phone while laughing.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Lin Xiuyuan's voice came through, "Hello, is this Juli?"

Li Juli smiled slightly, her gaze still fixed on the rooftop. "Xiuyuan, I see you!"

Lin Xiuyuan, on the other side of the rooftop, was listening to the phone call while fiddling with the corner of the table.

Then, upon hearing this, he suddenly looked up and instinctively glanced around, but saw nothing.

"Huh? Where did you see me? I don't see you."

"Oh, Taeyeon's here too? A lunch date?"

Lee Juri deliberately changed the subject, her tone slightly sarcastic, as if she were teasing him, or perhaps testing him by not explicitly stating it.

"Just having a meal in this open-air place, what are you thinking about?"

Lin Xiuyuan replied with a wry smile, then quickly added, "So where are you? You're out for a meal too, but there's really no one else here."

Lee Qri didn't answer directly, but simply said, "Well, Hyomin and I were planning to play golf this afternoon. So we just grabbed a quick lunch and bumped into you. What a coincidence!"

"Where is it anyway? Stop keeping me in suspense." Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his temples helplessly, his eyes still scanning the surroundings.

Seeing this, Kim Tae-yeon, who was sitting opposite him, understood what had happened and looked around as well.

But given her eyesight, whether she can even see it is a question.

Suddenly, Lin Xiuyuan's gaze swept across a certain direction, paused slightly, narrowed his eyes, and immediately saw a familiar figure leaning against a glass window on a certain floor of a tall building across the street.

As Lin Xiu looked over, Li Juli smiled at him and waved, "Hi~"

"Holy crap, I thought you were at a restaurant over here." Lin Xiuyuan laughed in surprise.

"Want one?" Lee Juri asked.

Park Hyomin, sitting opposite her, seemed surprised but didn't show any objection.

But Lin Xiuyuan politely declined, saying, "Forget it, let's make an appointment another time. Enjoy your meal."

"Alright, then I won't bother you anymore. You can... take your time chatting."

After hanging up the phone, Li Juli put it back on the table, but her eyes were still fixed on Lin Xiuyuan on the opposite rooftop, with that faint smile on her face.

"Why did you call him specifically?" Park Hyo-min couldn't help but ask.

Faced with the question, Lee Juri raised her chin, gesturing for the other person to look towards the rooftop outside the window, "See Xiuyuan and Taeyeon at that table on the opposite rooftop?"

Park Hyomin followed her gaze and soon saw the two familiar figures on the rooftop. She raised her eyebrows slightly, somewhat surprised, "Huh? When did these two become so familiar?"

"Who knows? Maybe she's like Jiyeon, she likes younger guys." Lee Qri blinked, not giving a definitive answer.

Park Hyomin chuckled softly at this answer, fiddling with her straw. "Speaking of Jiyeon, she came to see me as soon as she got back. Do you know what she was up to, unnie?"

"I'm resting at home."

Thinking about what happened the night before last, Li Juli lowered her head and took a sip of juice. "But I heard she signed up for a tennis course, so I plan to practice hard."

Park Hyo-min was shocked, "Huh?"

……

On the other side, at the rooftop restaurant.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan flipped it over and casually placed it on the table. He looked up and met Kim Tae-yeon's slightly curious gaze.

"What's your relationship with Qri? You seem to be getting closer and closer."

The other person asked slowly and deliberately, their calm tone revealing a hint of deliberately suppressed gossip, which amused Lin Xiuyuan. "Friend, what else could Taeyeon be?"

The answer was given naturally and casually, with almost no hesitation.

"Ha~" Kim Tae-yeon chuckled softly, but her eyes seemed to be scrutinizing her. "It's not that I think so, it's that I'm afraid you have ulterior motives. Take it easy, Xiu Yuan, there's an age gap between you two, hmph."

Her last sentence sounded like both a joke and a well-intentioned reminder.

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, his expression a half-smile. "Taeyeon, you seem to be with Qri..."

Before she could finish speaking, Kim Tae-yeon's smile vanished, and she narrowed her eyes.

When she realized that Lin Xiuyuan wanted to continue talking, she quickly reached out to slap him, but he cleverly dodged her while laughing.

"Don't use me as an example."

As he spoke, Kim Tae-yeon's lips pursed up, as if his words had slightly broken her defenses.

"Doesn't this just show that I'm popular, approachable, and have no age limit?" Lin Xiuyuan smiled smugly.

Just as the two were joking around, a waiter slowly pushed a cart over and placed the plates on the table one by one.

"Please enjoy your meal." The waiter smiled and left, and the rooftop returned to its tranquility.

Upon seeing that fried chicken had been ordered on the table, Lin Xiuyuan quickly called out to the waiter, "Excuse me, could you please bring me two cans of iced Coke, original bottle? Thank you."

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon immediately looked up at Lin Xiu-yuan with a curious expression.

A moment later, the waiter brought over the Cokes, and Lin Xiuyuan took the opportunity to open one of the cans and hand it to Kim Tae-yeon, saying, "Here, how can you eat fried chicken without Coke, right?"

"Yes, that's right, thank you, Xiuyuan."

Kim Tae-yeon was a little surprised to receive the cola, but the smile on her face was very happy.

Then she looked at the fried chicken on the table, her eyes falling on the dipping sauce next to it. Before she could speak, Lin Xiuyuan interrupted, "Taeyeon, do you like dipping sauce?"

"Ah, either way is fine with me."

Kim Tae-yeon subconsciously adjusted her tone, as she rarely made requests because she was worried that her tastes would burden her friends.

After all, she has always been the kind of person who is not used to causing trouble for others.

Then she heard Lin Xiuyuan's laughter, "Then let's eat the original flavor. It's such a waste to eat fried chicken without the original flavor, right, Taeyeon?"

Two tiny dots filled Kim Tae-yeon with joy at that moment. Her little hand touched the cool Coke can next to her, and she looked up at Lin Xiu-yuan across from her. Suddenly, she asked, "Did Yoona tell you about my hobby?"

"Yoona? No, not at all," Lin Xiuyuan answered truthfully.

After all, this wasn't said by Lim Yoona, but by yourself in 2013, along with Sunny over there.

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon, who had tentatively asked, became even happier, saying, "I didn't expect we had such similar interests."

"It's fate."

As Lin Xiuyuan uttered those three words, the atmosphere between the two became quiet for a moment.

After cutting a few pieces of steak on her plate, Kim Tae-yeon suddenly looked up at him as if she remembered something, and said in a more serious tone, "By the way, Xiu Yuan, the reason I asked you out today is to formally invite you to my concert in Hong Kong."

Lin Xiuyuan was holding a water glass, about to drink, when he heard this and paused slightly, looking at her in surprise, "Just for this? You even made a special trip to have dinner with me?"

"Are you surprised?"

"A little, for things like this... why don't you just make a phone call? Why make it so formal? I thought something was wrong."

"I sent you a message last time, and you rejected me with a 'too busy schedule'."

Kim Tae-yeon glanced at him, her tone teasing but with a hint of a smile.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had been teased, touched the tip of his nose. "That was really an accident. I didn't push him on purpose. I was..."

"Alright, alright." Kim Tae-yeon waved her hand to interrupt him. "Let's not worry about the past. Anyway, I've learned my lesson this time. I'll invite you face-to-face and see if you can still run away."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, "You really are..."

"I didn't just invite you, you know." Kim Tae-yeon smiled gently, looking at Lin Xiu-yuan with an amused expression.

"I also invited Yoona to come along, but it's hard to say when she'll be available, but it should be fine. That way you'll have company and won't be too bored."

"Yoona is going too?" Lin Xiuyuan repeated softly, a hint of surprise in his expression.

The two of them had just parted ways last night, and he hadn't heard Lin Yoona mention this matter. Besides, normally she wouldn't have invited him along.

He should have kept a low profile, so how could he dare to openly sit with Yoona at a concert?

“Yeah.” Kim Tae-yeon lowered her head and continued cutting her steak, her voice calm. “Haven’t you two been hanging out together lately? I was thinking that we could all take a few days off during the concert.”

As she said this, a barely perceptible sly glint flashed in her eyes.

Kim Tae-yeon clearly remembers what Yoona said yesterday: "I like Xiuyuan."

Based on the tacit understanding between her and her sister over the years, she knew very well that if Yoona really said "I like you," it would definitely not be a joke, much less a casual banter with her.

So she wanted to take advantage of this Hong Kong concert to arrange a "group invitation" for the two of them, not to deliberately match them up, but to intentionally create space for them.

Give them more opportunities to spend time together, and things might fall into place naturally.

This can also be considered as helping out my second youngest member.

Although this guy is a bit young, love doesn't discriminate based on age; only passion matters.

However, Kim Tae-yeon's meticulous arrangements earned her a meaningful look from Lin Xiu-yuan.

She didn't say anything, but her smile gradually widened, and finally she let out a long sigh, "Ah~ haha, I'm dying of laughter, Taeyeon, what kind of things are you imagining?"

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Kim Tae-yeon was also a little surprised by Lin Xiuyuan's reaction.

"I don't know how to answer. How about this, I'll talk to Yoona later and see if she wants to come along."

Lin Xiuyuan waved his hand, offering no further explanation.

……

Meanwhile, in a corner of the rooftop restaurant.

Bae Joo-hyun sat near the railing, with clusters of green plants swaying in the wind behind her. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, falling on her soft hair and beige skirt, like a tranquil summer painting.

At that moment, she was looking down and poking at the fruit salad on her plate with her fork, listening to her friend across from her talk about the interesting things that happened in the practice room, occasionally nodding and responding with a few words.

"Then that person just said in the group, 'Let's see who dares to make a mistake again'... Hahaha, isn't that outrageous?"

As my friend spoke, he handed me a slice of orange.

Bae Joo-hyun politely accepted it, but her eyes kept lingering on a dining table not far away.

Those were the two people she had noticed the moment they walked in.

At first, she was a little unsure, but after the other person took off their sunglasses, Bae Joo-hyun dared to confirm that the woman was dressed simply but had an excellent temperament.

She is indeed a senior colleague in the company, Kim Tae-yeon of Girls' Generation.

But what intrigued her more was not this senior colleague, but the boy sitting opposite her.

He was dressed simply and didn't look like someone in the industry. His features were young and clean, yet he seemed completely unfamiliar.

However, the intimacy that was unintentionally revealed in the conversation between the other party and senior Kim Tae-yeon made it immediately apparent that their relationship seemed to be more than simple, or rather, somewhat intimate.

"Hmm?" Her friend sitting across from her noticed her shifting gaze and curiously looked in the same direction. "Which way are you looking?"

"It's nothing... I just saw Taeyeon sunbaenim." Bae Joo-hyun said casually, but didn't look away.

A hint of doubt and interest flickered in her eyes: Kim Tae-yeon is usually low-key and taciturn, and rarely eats alone with men in public. Why is she like this today? And the atmosphere is clearly not work-related.

She continued to glance at it casually.

Kim Tae-yeon was talking and smiling as she picked up her water glass to refill the other person's cup, while the boy responded with a low voice but a natural aura, as if they had known each other for a long time.

Bae Joo-hyun took a small bite of the straw, her eyes brightening slightly; she suddenly found it amusing.

But before this curiosity could even develop, the scene suddenly changed.

Because Bae Joo-hyun saw a sexy figure walking towards the elevator, a figure she recognized—Lee Qri, a member of the senior group T-ara.

In her line of sight, she saw Li Juli walk straight to that table and move closer to the boy without any hesitation.

What happened next made Bae Joo-hyun almost forget that she hadn't put down her juice. She subconsciously sat up straighter and quietly followed the scene.

Because Lee Juri chuckled and leaned down, almost touching the boy's shoulder, the distance for that instant... face to face.

Even though she didn't hear what was said, from the unspoken understanding between the two, and after that whispered remark, Lee Qri gently patted his shoulder, nodded to Kim Tae-yeon, smiled and said goodbye before leaving. The whole action was as natural as could be.

Yet their intimacy was surprisingly close.

"Hey, isn't that Tara's Lee Qri? Is she going to say hello to Taeyeon? Who's that guy?"

The friend across the way also noticed this and asked curiously.

"It seems... it's not just a greeting." Bae Joo-hyun swallowed, her voice low, unaware that her tone was somewhat distracted.

She looked back at the table and saw Kim Tae-yeon still sitting calmly, drinking lemonade with her head slightly lowered, while the boy leaned back in his chair, as if what had just happened was nothing.

interesting.

Bae Joo-hyun blinked gently, her interest subtly shifting.

She was simply curious as to why Kim Tae-yeon would be dining alone with a young man in such an open setting.

But at this moment, what she wanted to know more about was: who exactly is this boy?
It made Kim Tae-yeon accept the invitation with pleasure, and also made Lee Qri whisper in her ear and pat her goodbye.

Who exactly is he?
……

Ten minutes ago.

In the restaurant in the high-rise building next door, after ordering her food, Li Juli did not really pay attention to the menu or the conversation on the table.

She held the straw in one hand, casually stirring the lemon sparkling water, but her eyes subtly drifted across the window to the rooftop opposite.

The familiar blond hair and the male figure sitting at an angle not far away made her know who it was almost without needing to confirm.

"What's wrong?" Park Hyomin sat across from her, took a bite of her appetizer, and laughed. "Unnie, you're acting a little strange today. You seem a bit out of it."

"Huh? Is there any?"

Lee Juri clicked her tongue and smiled faintly, then put down the straw. "Wait a moment, I'm going to the restroom."

Despite being told it was the restroom, she simply stood up, grabbed her phone, and pushed back her chair, her movements swift and decisive.

Without any hesitation, he took the elevator downstairs and crossed the sidewalk to the building opposite.

His pace was unhurried, yet it conveyed a sense of "determined" urgency.

She didn't fully understand why she suddenly had this idea, but ever since her conversation with Da Longzai the night before, that fair and radiant face had been like a nail driven deep into her mind, impossible to remove.

And the name Lin Xiuyuan.

For her now, it's more than just a "chance encounter".

With mixed feelings, Li Juli walked into the building across the street and took the elevator straight to the rooftop.

Although she wasn't a member, the waiter let her through after only a slight hesitation, thanks to her familiar face and the claim that she had a date with Kim Tae-yeon.

The moment she pushed open the door to the rooftop restaurant, the sunlight slanted in, and her eyes swept across the room, spotting her target immediately.

The one she and Zhiyan jokingly called "Little Golden Retriever"—Lin Xiuyuan.

The other person was saying something, with a lazy expression on their face, and a hint of a smile after being teased by Kim Tae-yeon.

Kim Tae-yeon, holding a water glass, smiled elegantly in response to him, and the atmosphere between the two was quite natural.

But at this moment, Li Juli no longer wanted to know what they were talking about.

She walked straight over, her light-colored flat shoes clicking on the wooden floor with steady and composed steps.

It wasn't until Lee Qri stood to the side of Lin Xiuyuan's seat that Kim Tae-yeon looked up first, paused for a moment, and then said, "...Huh, Qri?"

Hearing the noise, Lin Xiuyuan turned around and looked over, his face clearly showing surprise. "What are you doing here...aren't you on the other side?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at the building next door, where only Park Hyo-min remained in the original spot.

And the next second.

"Xiuyuan," Li Juli called softly, her tone calm.

Then, she suddenly leaned closer, her cheek almost touching his chin and neck, the distance so intimate that they seemed like old acquaintances, or like a well-rehearsed performance.

Kim Tae-yeon paused, her fingers faltered slightly, and she narrowed her eyes.

Even Lin Xiuyuan, who instinctively wanted to back away, stopped himself, afraid of embarrassing Li Juli.

"After you finish eating, give me some time. I need to talk to you about something."

Lee Juri spoke softly, with an air of undeniable composure.

These words made Lin Xiuyuan freeze for a moment, but before he could speak, the other person moved even closer and said in a low voice, "I've come all this way in person, you're not going to refuse me, are you?"

He looked up and their eyes met.

Lee Juri's eyes were calm, yet they also revealed a hint of...expectation.

“…Okay.” He nodded.

After receiving the answer she wanted, Lee Juri finally smiled with satisfaction.

She then straightened up, adjusted her skirt, and smiled gently at Kim Tae-yeon, "Excuse me, Tae-yeon, I just came to say a few words to Xiu-yuan."

"It's okay, how about we have dinner together?" Kim Tae-yeon smiled back, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"No, Hyomin is still waiting for me over there." Lee Juri gently shook her head.

She then turned and, guided by a waiter, left the rooftop, her steps as composed as when she arrived. She didn't look back even once before the elevator doors closed.

This scene was witnessed by Park Hyo-min, who was standing behind the glass of the restaurant in the building across the street.

She was just looking down to drink water when, with a casual glance, she suddenly noticed that familiar pink figure coming out of the elevator, crossing the street and walking into the building across the street. The figure moved quickly and looked resolute.

When Park Hyomin saw Lee Qri appear from the rooftop elevator entrance, walk towards a couple, and whisper directly into the boy's ear, her eyes widened.

"Huh? What is Unnie doing?" she muttered to herself, her face filled with shock.

Soon, Li Juli returned to the dining table and sat down with a calm expression, as if she had just gone downstairs to have a smoke.

But Park Hyomin immediately seized the opportunity to ask, "Unnie, where did you go?"

"I went to the restroom and then took a walk outside."

"Don't try to fool me. I saw you run to the building across the street, to the rooftop restaurant!" Park Hyomin's eyes widened, looking like she was saying, "I won't give up until you give me an explanation." "What did you say to Xiuyuan? Don't lie to me."

Lee Qri blinked, smiled faintly, and said nothing, "It's a secret, Hyomin."

"Ah~ unnie." Park Hyomin laughed and raised her fork. "You're not thinking about hooking up with men too, are you?"

Lee Juri did not answer, but simply took a sip of her water, her tone calm, but her eyes held a profound meaning.

"Hyomin, you'll understand some things when the time comes."

She paused, then smiled slightly, as if she were casually throwing out a joke, or perhaps hiding a hint of certainty.

"But you, you may have no chance anymore."

……

Lin Xiuyuan's gaze shifted slightly as he watched Lee Juri's figure in high heels leave the rooftop. Only after she pushed open the door and left did he turn back to look at Kim Tae-yeon across the way.

Kim Tae-yeon, resting her chin on her hand, asked with a teasing smile, "What secret did Qri whisper to you?"

"Hmm?" Lin Xiuyuan seemed to only then come to his senses, and casually replied, "Ah... just, I was just saying a few words."

"What do you mean 'just saying a few words'? We were practically touching faces just now." Kim Tae-yeon, rarely showing such curiosity, pressed on, a hint of gossip in her eyes. "Was it an argument? A date? Or..."

Lin Xiuyuan coughed and picked up his water glass to cover it up, saying, "How's the weather today? The sun is shining, and the wind isn't too strong, perfect for dinner."

Kim Tae-yeon stared at him speechlessly for three seconds, then chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me, then forget it."

"I was just afraid you'd get jealous," Lin Xiuyuan joked, taking the opportunity to back down.

"Who's jealous of you?" Kim Tae-yeon rolled her eyes, her expression as vivid as if she had heard a joke.

The topic quickly changed, and Kim Tae-yeon continued talking while eating lunch, "By the way, I was talking to Sunny about your little bar the other day."

"Huh? What did you say?" Lin Xiuyuan looked up.

"I'm quite curious about what she meant by membership system," Kim Tae-yeon said with a smile and a shake of her head. "She also said she'd drag me along to check it out sometime, and maybe I can mooch a few drinks from you."

"Then I'd better hurry up and prepare the sweet cocktails," Lin Xiuyuan said with a smile. "But the shop has just been renovated, so the flavors are still quite new. Let's let it air out for a few days before officially opening."

"Remember to call me." Kim Tae-yeon nodded, her tone carrying a hint of relaxed anticipation.

The two chatted casually, exchanging jokes every now and then, creating a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere. By the time dessert was served, it was already around 1 p.m.

Seeing Kim Tae-yeon start packing up, Lin Xiuyuan was about to raise his hand to call the waiter to pay the bill, but Kim Tae-yeon stopped him with a wave of her hand and said with a smile, "No need, I'll put it on the tab. It's a members-only restaurant."

"Didn't we agree that I would treat you? I ended up getting a free meal again." Lin Xiuyuan sighed, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Kim Tae-yeon then said, "Then you owe me a meal, remember to pay me back."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and gave an OK sign.

The two left the restaurant with smiles. Lin Xiuyuan escorted Kim Tae-yeon to her car in the underground parking lot. After watching her get in and fasten her seatbelt, he smiled and waved, "Drive carefully on the road."

"Okay." Kim Tae-yeon smiled and waved in response. The car window slowly rolled up, and the car drove towards the parking lot exit.

As Lin Xiuyuan watched the car leave, he turned around to walk back to his own car, but suddenly saw a figure approaching him from the side.

It's Bae Joo-hyun.

After finishing her meal, she got out of the car to drive home, but unexpectedly ran into Lin Xiuyuan there.

The two exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised, but simply nodded and smiled, a silent greeting.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly, then looked away and continued walking at his usual pace.

Bae Joo-hyun stood there for a moment, gazing at his back in a daze, thinking about the scenes she had just witnessed on the rooftop.

"Who exactly is this person?"

She murmured a sentence to herself, and for some reason, she suddenly became even more curious about this boy.

After leaving the parking lot, Lin Xiuyuan walked towards the alleyway where he had parked earlier, got back into his car, started the engine, tapped the steering wheel a few times, but did not immediately drive away from where he was.

About ten minutes later, the passenger door was opened.

Lee Juri, wearing that pink shirt with the hem of her skirt swaying gently, got into the car, casually placed her handbag on her lap, and then glanced at him.

"Wait a long time?"

"It's alright, she just came down. But I hope Hyomin won't blame me for standing me up," Lin Xiuyuan replied with a slight smile.

After listening to Lin Xiuyuan finish speaking, Li Juli smiled and gestured to a sports car not far away, "Hyomin is over there, why don't you get out and ask her?"

Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback. He looked up, but all he saw were the taillights of a car speeding away.

This situation made him glance at Lee Juri and ask in a low voice, "Is this your way of blaming me?"

"Haha, then ask her, haha, let's drive off."

"Where are you going? What are you doing?"

Lee Juri looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, "Let's go to your little bar, and talk about this after it's over."

This time, Lin Xiuyuan didn't say anything more, just nodded, turned the steering wheel, stepped on the gas, and the car smoothly drove away from there.

The sun was shining brightly, it was still early, and the city was still bustling.

……

……

2013. SM Entertainment.

Inside the practice room, the air still retained the warmth of sweat and the vibrations from the speakers.

Shirley lay on the floor, her breath slightly ragged, staring at the ceiling. Her long hair was disheveled and spread out beside her, her fair forehead damp with sweat. She looked like a child who had just finished a dance performance, utterly exhausted and unrefined.

"I'm so tired," she complained, but there was also a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

Victoria crouched down, handed her a bottle of water, and asked softly, "Snowball, have you been working too hard lately? You can relax a bit."

When Victoria said this, she was genuinely worried about Sulli, after all, Sulli's personality had been changing more and more over the past two weeks.

However, there was one good thing: Shirley was smiling more often and was no longer the kind of person who would sit in a corner in a daze with empty eyes like before.

Sherry turned her head to look at her upon hearing this, and smiled, "It's okay, V-Mom, I'm just practicing dance, I don't have any other work."

“I’m not talking about rehearsals, I mean… your recent behavior seems to make you feel like you’re doing a lot of things and very busy,” Victoria said cautiously, her brows furrowed with concern.

Upon hearing this, Shirley was clearly taken aback, but it was difficult to explain too much about it.

So she blinked, slowly sat up, leaned against the mirrored wall, and casually hooked a towel around her forehead with one hand. "Don't worry, V Mom, I'm really fine. I'm just looking for something to do lately."

Then he smiled and turned to look at Krystal Jung, who was sitting next to the water dispenser. "Krystal, come here, I have something to tell you."

"Hmm?" Krystal Jung turned around, biting her straw, her eyes looking slightly tired.

"I told you about a script before, the one I wrote. I've recently submitted it to a TV station and contacted investors to prepare for its launch."

"Really?" Krystal Jung was a little surprised.

"The initial plan is to start filming at the end of next month. The crew has already started preparations, so you'd better get ready," Shirley added.

"Prepare? Wait a minute, prepare for what? I have a role too?" Krystal tilted her head, clearly not fully understanding.

“Gain weight.” Shirley laughed as she looked at her. “You’re not the cool and aloof beauty in the show. Being skinny won’t do. You have to eat yourself into the shape of a weightlifter.”

A brief silence fell over the practice room.

Not far away, Amber had just finished a sip of her sports drink when she heard this and almost choked. "Sherry, what are you saying? You said your script is already going to be filmed?"

Luna's eyes widened as well. Although they all knew that Shirley was writing a script, they never expected that... it was actually going to be filmed.

Even Victoria, who had just finished speaking with Sherry, looked up again, her face full of surprise. "Sherry, didn't you only start writing recently? How come you...?"

"I wrote it a long time ago; I've just been finishing it up and polishing it recently."

Of course, Shirley couldn't say that she had only recently started "copying," so she quickly added, "At the end of last year, since I didn't have much of a social life, I would write these things whenever I had free time. When inspiration came, I couldn't stop it."

"But who did you get the investment from?" Luna asked incredulously. "We all thought you were just writing it for fun."

"Well... I did write it just for fun at first."

Shirley nodded, but her smile carried a hint of earnest deception as she said, "But as I wrote, I realized I really wanted to film it. I love the story, and I really want more people to see it."

"Did you tell the company?" Krystal asked instinctively.

"Not yet." Shirley glanced at her, her eyes serious yet gentle. "So, Soojung, you need to report to the company. The role isn't assigned randomly; I wrote it based on you. As long as the company doesn't object, you'll be the lead actress."

This sentence plunged the practice room into an unbelievable silence once again.

Krystal opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately no sound came out.

Shirley sat there quietly, holding a water bottle, her eyes bright and clear, like a lake in the afternoon sun, gentle yet firm.

Looking at her like this, Victoria suddenly felt a sense of disorientation.

The once quiet, withdrawn, and confused younger sister seems to be quietly transforming into a driver who can hold the steering wheel and steer towards the future.

At the same time, the members of Girls' Generation finally learned that Lim So-lu had passed the audition with Kim Eun-sook and SBS TV and officially won the role of the female lead in "The Heirs".

After all, with the official signing and press release this morning, the news has finally been settled.

"Really? Yoona unnie, you landed the lead role in writer Kim Eun-sook's script?" Seohyun held her phone, her expression a mixture of shock and subtle emotion.

"What's wrong? Can't I win it?" Lin Xiaolu asked with a smile.

"No, that's not what I meant." Seohyun quickly waved her hand. "I was just... a little surprised, daebak."

Although I am somewhat envious, I am not so jealous as to be envious.

At this moment, Choi Sooyoung interjected, her tone slightly hesitant, "Yoona, I heard that the competition for this role is fierce, and Park Shin-hye also auditioned, is that right?"

"Yes, I ran into her after I finished my test," Lin Xiaolu replied casually.

"I heard there were other actors involved, but I didn't expect you to win in the end, Yoona. It's unbelievable. How did your acting improve so quickly?" At this moment, Tiffany also popped up and asked with great curiosity.

As she spoke, everyone's attention turned to Lin Xiaolu.

Lin Xiaolu, who didn't know how to explain for a moment, immediately stepped forward and took Jessica's arm when she saw her come in from outside. "Hehe, I still have to thank Jessica unnie. She found me a tutor and gave me a good last-minute crash course."

"The supervising teacher?" everyone asked in unison.

"Does Jessica unnie know anyone in this field?" someone asked in surprise.

"That's amazing! She landed the lead role in writer Kim's book in one go."

"..."

Seeing Jessica Jung and Lin Xiaolu surrounded by others, Sunny slowly approached Taeyeon and asked, "Taeyeon, do you know where Jessica found her acting coach?"

"I don't know, Sunny, do you know?" The tone of the voice made Kim Tae-yeon instinctively ask back.

"Hehe, of course I know," Sunny replied with a smile.

At the time, Lin Xiaolu was unaware of the tavern's secret, so I told her about the 'mentor', but I didn't go into too much detail.

But that alone was enough to pique Kim Tae-yeon's curiosity, and she immediately grabbed Sunny's hand, "Who is it?"

"I don't know who it is either."

Kim Tae-yeon was stunned for a moment, then glared at Sunny with some dissatisfaction, "Then what the hell are you talking about?"

But Sunny immediately added, "I heard he's a member of Xiu Yuan's little bar. I initially thought it was a joke or just some extra lessons, but I was surprised he actually succeeded."

"A member of Xiuyuan's tavern?" Kim Tae-yeon's eyes widened upon hearing this.

"Yes, that's what Yoona told me back then, but when I asked her who it was, she wouldn't say, saying that the person didn't want to come forward, so I didn't ask any further."

After hearing the answer, Kim Tae-yeon pursed her lips, slightly furrowed her brows, and said, "Member, another member. Xiu Yuan's little bar is too mysterious."

"Yes, I was thinking of becoming a member, but that guy said he 'looked good,' which made me so angry."

"Haha, I wonder if I'll be able to click with him."

"Taeyeon, why don't you ask her?"

"Next time."

……

……

Let's go back to 2025.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had driven all the way from the restaurant back to the entrance of the pub, turned to look at Li Juli in the passenger seat after parking the car.

"arrive."

Hearing the voice, Li Juli turned her head to look at the entrance of the small bar next door, and then smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've been here. Xiuyuan, when can I get a membership here? It's so hard to find a place to drink."

"There's a chance."

Lin Xiuyuan responded with a smile, turned off the engine, and got out of the car.

He walked to the tavern door, opened the door, and turned on the lights and equipment.

Lee Juri, who had been following behind him, began to explore the area with great curiosity. Although it wasn't her first time here, she wasn't very familiar with it before, and with other people around, she couldn't fully relax while exploring. This time, she could take her time and look around to her heart's content.

After a while.

"By the way, Juli," Lin Xiuyuan said, looking at her after adjusting the equipment, "you still haven't told me why you wanted to see me?"

"I'm looking for you, to fuck me..."

Lee Juri looked at him with a smile, her tone relaxed yet playful.

"???"

"Just kidding, I just need you to do something for me."

　The voting for the 10,000 votes has ended. Thank you to all the godfathers for your support and votes.

　　Then came the monthly pass exceeding 15,000, and the daily pass exceeding 10,000 + 30,000.
　　Daily progress report: 39/47.

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(End of this chapter)